Cooperative Learning Strategies

Begin your investigation of Cooperative Learning strategies. We've outlined six in some detail. A list of other resources is located further down on the page.

NOTE: Use the CL Apps as well as the CL Web 2.0 pages to the left, to learn more about the tools and resources identified in the strategies below. The links located at the bottom of this page will also help to familiarize yourself with the software components used here.

3 step interview:

The three step interview is a process during which each member of a group chooses another member to be a partner. The first step involves these individuals interviewing their partners and asking clarifying questions. For the second step, partners reverse roles and the interviewer becomes the interviewee. The final step is comprised of each group member sharing their partner’s responses with the entire group. By participating in the active listening process and then conveying their partner’s conclusions, this activity facilitates use of each of the key elements identified as beneficial to students practicing cooperative learning. The processes involved in this activity encourage positive interdependence, face to face interaction, individual and group accountability, group processing and interpersonal skill development.

3 Minute Review:

The three minute review is an activity that gives students a time to reflect on what they have gained from a lecture or discourse, and to ask questions that clarify areas that they may feel unclear about. The teacher stops at a point in the lecture and gives teams 3 minutes to review the material that has been presented, as well as address and answer questions that arise from the material. As in the three step interview, each of the five key elements of cooperative learning are incorporated into this activity. Students are allowed time to process and synthesize the material using their peer groups as a venue through which to assess the information, ideally gaining perspective and thought provoking input from their group mates.

Circle The Sage:

Circle the sage is an activity that specifically integrates student knowledge sharing and participation into the classroom experience. The teacher polls the class to see which students have a special knowledge to share. Someone with an expertise in a certain area is considered a sage; each sage then spreads out throughout the room and their classmates come to them to discuss their knowledge. Each team is allowed to send no more than two of its members to one sage. After the sage has relayed their knowledge while allowing their fellow classmates to ask questions, students return to their groups and discuss their findings. Group members compare answers and discuss any issues-if they encounter a problem that cannot be resolved the group, as a whole, stands up and disagreements are then resolved through discussion.

Who Am I?

In this class-building activity, students mingle around the classroom asking classmates, "Who Am I?"

1. Each student receives a secret identity taped to their back by the teacher. The identity may be an illustration, picture of a famous person, quotation, math problem or proof, vocabulary word, or a significant event.
2. Students must wander around the room asking yes/no questions of their classmates to determine their secret identity. Each student that is asked a question must sign the student’s identity page. (Optional: Teachers can provide a set of interview questions that students may ask.)
3. Teachers may limit the number of questions that can be asked or the time provided to discover one’s identity.

Modification for online Cooperative Learning:

The instructor sends e-mails to both Student A and Student B . The students are expecting the e-mail and know not to open it. Instead the students arranges for a parent or friend to open the e-mail. The message contains the secret identity described in Step 1 above. The parent or friend writes the identity down on a note-card and tapes it to the back of the student at their location. NOTE: If done in the classroom setting*, Student C and Student D can tape the identity on the backs of respective students.

Student A and Student B log into Skype. Student A turns around so that Student B can see the secret identity. Student B then turns around and shows Student A their identity. NOTE: In both cases the word will be displayed backward! It might be kind of fun trying to figure out what each identity actually is before beginning with questioning.

In Step 2, each student begins asking the yes/no questions until the secret identity of each is revealed!

*This class-building exercise would also work well with two different classrooms in the same building, with classrooms in different buildings in the same school district, or with e-Pals!

Find the Fiction

In this team-building and thinking activity, students pick out the fictitious statement from a set of three statements.

1. Teammates write 3 statements: two true, one false.
2. One student on each team stands, then reads his or her statements to teammates.
3. Without consulting teammates, each student writes down his or her own best guess as to which statement is false.
4. Teammates discuss and reach consensus on their “best guess.”
5. Teammates announce their guess.
6. The standing student announces the false statement.
7. Students celebrate: If the team guessed correctly, the standing student claps for teammates. If the team was stumped and didn’t guess correctly, teammates clap for the standing student.
8. The next teammate stands to share. The process is repeated from Step 2.

Modification for online Cooperative Learning:

1. Using Skype or Tokbox, students collaborate online to generate 3 statements: two true, one false. Then, using Google Forms, one of the students submits the questions to the instructor.
2. The instructor creates a Jeopardy Game (http://jeopardylabs.com/) from the submissions by the groups in the class.
3. Independently, each of the students opens their web browser and creates two tabs. Tab one has the JepardyLabs game open. In the second tab, the student has Google Forms open that correlates to the questions in the JeopardyLabs game. As the students read the items in the Jeopardy Game, they answer using Google Forms in the second tab. The teacher does not share the results at this time. When all groups have responded, the instructor can proceed with the next item.
4. Each of the students in the group joins a Skype or Tokbox session. Each student opens the Jeopardy Game. One of the students is designated as recorder. As each question is selected, the students share how they responded. If all were not in agreement, they discuss and reach consensus. The recorder enters the group response on the Google Form and submits when done.
5. When all submissions are in, the instructor can share the results of the Google Form with students.

Pairs Check

In this mastery and communication activity, students take turns solving problems. After every two problems, they
check answers and celebrate with another pair.

1. In teams, shoulder partners are formed. Partner A in each pair does the first problem, talking out loud. Partner B watches and coaches. Partner B praises.
2. Trade roles: partner B does the next problem. Partner A watches, coaches, and praises.
3. Pairs check with their eyeball partners after every two problems. Teammates coach and correct if needed.
4. The team celebrates after reaching agreement on the two problems.

Modification for online Cooperative Learning:

In this activity the problems are supplied by the instructor using Moodle or any other online course delivery software. Students A and B access the collaborative, multi-user white-board, Scriblar as well as Skype or Tokbox to work through the problem as outlined in step 1. Scriblar is used to show the work, Skype allows the live conversation to take place. Using the same tools and without leaving the session, the students reverse roles as described in step 2. Student may then move to step three simply using Scriblar. One works while the other watches what is being done.

Other Cooperative Learning Strategy Resources

CL Strategies